Jacqueline F. Beauchere is the Chief Online Safety Officer at Microsoft. In this role, Ms. Beauchere is responsible for all aspects of Microsoft’s online safety strategy, including cross-company policy creation and implementation, influence over consumer safety features and functionality and communications to and engagement with a variety of external audiences. She also currently serves as the vice chair for the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) Board of Directors.
Ms. Beauchere has spent almost 14 years at Microsoft leading various groups and efforts that evangelize the company's commitment to help create a safer, more trusted Internet experience for people of all ages and abilities.
Before joining Microsoft in December 1999, Ms. Beauchere was an attorney in private practice in New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C. A second-career lawyer, she spent 12 years as a real-time financial news correspondent and Editor in Charge, most recently with Reuters America Inc. in New York.
Posted by Jacqueline BeauchereChief Online Safety Officer, Microsoft
The digital world offers students an abundance of resources and unlimited learning potential. Our largely one-size-fits-all approach to education and technology in the U.S., however, doesn’t seem to be working for today’s digital youth. Moreover, resources are not applied equitably across schools and classrooms. To help address these challenges, The Aspen Institute established a Task Force on Learning and the Internet, to understand the ways in which young people learn today, and to identify methods to expand educational opportunities online and off, inside and outside the classroom.
After a year of collaboration, the group released its findings via a comprehensive report entitled “Learner at the Center of a Networked World.” The Task Force’s conclusions suggest a radical rethinking of the very approach to education is needed—starting with the core belief that students must be at the center of their learning. This means providing young people with affordable access to networks; arming them with digital-literacy skills, so they can tap into the benefits those networks offer, and ensuring they have a trusted online environment that promotes learning and protects their privacy and safety.
At Microsoft, we recognize that while the Internet has a multitude of benefits, it may also expose students to certain risks, such as inappropriate content or invite unwanted contact. Such risks bring into focus the tension caused by varying beliefs and attitudes that exist among consumers specific to privacy and online safety. My colleague, Chief Privacy Officer Brendon Lynch, reflected on his participation in the Task Force, underscoring the importance of recognizing the impact that changing technology has on these areas, and calling for the creation of frameworks that establish trusted environments for learning. To assist teachers and, in particular parents, as they navigate an online culture in which rules and social norms are imprecise and constantly evolving, Microsoft will continue to provide digital literacy tools and resources. These include Bing in the Classroom and our Safety and Security Center so educators and parents can assist young people in making responsible, ethical decisions in our digitally dominant world.
We call this sense of ownership and online personal responsibility “Digital Citizenship.” And, teaching skills like digital literacy, digital ethics and digital etiquette is critical to help prepare students for life in a technology-driven society. We support the integration of digital citizenship concepts into the classrooms and curricula to help put students at the center, and in control of, their learning environments. In fact, the Aspen Task Force identified this as an imperative to help foster continued scholarship both in real life and online.
Cultivating the next generation of digital citizens through digital literacy and educational programs offers students tremendous opportunities to learn, share and communicate. I am bolstered by the Task Force’s findings, and encouraged that we are on a solid path toward comprehensive reform for teaching our 21stcentury learners.
For more information, tools and resources on Microsoft’s approach to digital literacy and online safety, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/safety.
Editor’s Note: Once a month on Microsoft on the Issues, Jacqueline Beauchere shares her point of view on topics related to the global consumer online safety landscape. Follow the conversation on Twitter using #MSFTCOSO.
To mark Safer Internet Day (SID) 2014, Microsoft asks people to “Do 1 Thing” to stay safer online and to make that one thing part of their daily digital routines.
As part of this campaign, on Monday we’re launching a new interactive website Safer Online, where individuals can share their “Do1Thing” promise; learn what others are doing to help protect themselves online, and get instant tips to enhance and better protect their digital lifestyles. These tips include:
Lock your devices and online accounts: Use strong passwords and a unique four-digit PIN for mobiles.Save sensitive transactions for secured networks: This includes paying bills, banking or shopping. Don’t share personal account information over “borrowed” or public Wi-FiTake charge of your online reputation: Discover what’s on the Internet about you, periodically reevaluate what you find and cultivate an accurate and positive reputation.Help protect your social circles: Use privacy settings to manage what information you share and with whom. Be selective about what you post and accepting friends.
It’s all part of our effort to let people know that protecting themselves online is easier than they might think.
For the past three years, Microsoft has fielded a survey, the Computing Safety Index, which measures the steps people report taking to protect their computers, mobile phones and valuable information.
The survey consists of 24 protective steps. The more steps respondents report taking, the higher their Index score, with 100 being the highest rating.
Last year, MCSI researchers surveyed more than 10,000 people aged 18 and older in 20 countries and regions worldwide. With an average Index score of 34.6, it’s clear that the steps people take to protect themselves online haven’t changed much since 2012.
When it comes to using features and functionality built into computing devices, people score relatively well. When respondents checked their settings, the survey found that 95 percent had antimalware software installed, 84 percent had their firewalls turned on and 82 percent had activated automatic updates.
The conundrum, by a large margin (60 percent), is that while people see themselves as best able to protect their information rather than relying on technology companies, government or others, the results reveal that they aren’t actively protecting themselves when it comes to the more daily digital routines. For instance:
· A mere one in five (21 percent) of those surveyed said they take advantage of Web browser filters to help protect against phishing attacks.
· Only 31 percent educated themselves about the latest steps for protecting their online reputation, or were selective about what they texted. Even fewer said they used technical tools to edit or delete information to help safeguard their reputations (19 percent), used search engines to monitor their personal information online (15 percent), or used a service to correct inaccuracies (10 percent).
· Only slightly more than one third (36 percent) said they limit the amount of personal information that appears online or educate themselves about the most current ways to help guard against identity theft (37 percent).
All too often, it’s these types of daily activities that often expose Internet users to more risk. For example, 15 percent of survey respondents said they had been victims of a phishing attack, 13 percent experienced damage to their professional reputation and 9 percent said their identity had been compromised.
Running into trouble online can be costly. According to those surveyed, recovering from a damaged online professional reputation was the most costly by far, with each individual losing an average of $535. Repairing identity theft cost victims an average of $218, while phishing attacks resulted in losses, on average, of $158 per person.
These dollar amounts add up. The worldwide impact of phishing could be as high as $2.6 billion – and $2.4 billion for identity theft – with the cost of repairing damage to peoples’ professional reputations at nearly a whopping $4.5 billion.
There are numerous things we can all do to help protect ourselves online. But imagine how much safer we’d all be by starting with that “1 Thing.”
For more information about our work in Internet safety, visit our Safety & Security Center, “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and look for my “point of view” blog following the #MSFTCOSO hashtag.
We’re all very aware of people’s desires to be “safe” and “secure,” and to exist and engage in environments – both online and off – that are built on trust. To define these points as absolute states of being, however, is impractical and unrealistic. Rather, when it comes to life online, we should focus first on the almost-innumerable advantages of the Internet; realize the online world is not without risk, and then seek to minimize and manage identified risks accordingly.
Perhaps somewhat of an exercise in semantics, but the need for this distinction became abundantly clear at the 2013 Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Bali, Indonesia, which took place from Oct. 22 to Oct. 25. I was observing a panel discussion entitled “Protection of the Most Vulnerable Children Online,” organized and moderated by Yuliya Morenets, Executive Director of the NGO Together Against Cybercrime and an associate professor at Strasbourg University. My colleague, Kim Sanchez, appeared on the panel and took a question from an audience member. He asked, perhaps somewhat facetiously, if the Internet was risk-free. A robust discussion ensued in which I, and others, were compelled to interject.
Unconditional monikers like safe, secure and private should be stricken from our digital lexicon. Furthermore, any Internet service provider, technology company or other online actor that claims to guarantee 100 percent safety, security, privacy or reliability is setting itself up for failure. Instead, we should regard online safety as an exercise in risk management: Survey the landscape; educate ourselves about, and evaluate, the risks that are out there; determine our individual acceptance levels, and then, decide how best to manage identified risks.
At Microsoft, we define the very discipline of online safety in terms of risk management. We see our role as helping people to maximize their desirable online experiences, while minimizing those stemming from what we call “The Four Cs” – risks from content, contact, conduct and commerce. We do this by providing technology tools, raising public awareness through campaigns and social media, partnering with others on a variety of initiatives, and by creating and sharing our own informational and educational resources.
At the end of the day, we’re all striving for the same thing: Behavioral change such that individuals, families and communities know how to best protect themselves when they go online. We want safer habits and practices to become as second nature as locking doors and wearing seatbelts. We look to create a “culture of online safety,” where young people support and encourage one another; parents and adults model exemplary social behaviors both online and off; technology companies provide simple, easy-to-use tools; educators embrace and champion the transformative power of technology and governments help to foster economic growth through innovation.
On day two of IGF 2013, a young man from the Dutch delegation told me he’d been thinking about my “safe versus safer” comments from the day before, noting that he recognized the importance of the distinction. “I usually don’t like having discussions about semantics,” he told me, “but this, I believe, is an important one.”
Labeling the Internet as anything less than the signature invention of our generation would be a mistake. It has changed forever the way we work, play, learn, grow and interact. No, it’s not without risk – nothing is. Individuals and families need to decide for themselves how they want to engage. Practicing good “digital citizenship” – safer, responsible and appropriate use of technology and services – is a positive first step. Microsoft has been promoting digital citizenship and advocating for online safety education for many years.
To learn more about our work, visit our Safety & Security Center; “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Posted by Jacqueline BeauchereChief Online Safety Officer, Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft
At the kickoff event for his year-long presidential initiative, “America’s Promise – Keeping Our Kids Safe,” the new leader of the U.S. National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) promised to help protect American youth in all aspects of their lives, including life online.
“We need to focus on prevention,” NAAG president and Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen told an audience of about 120, including AGs, members of their staffs and others in Milwaukee last week. “We need to educate our kids; we need them to build positive relationships with law enforcement, and we need to take people off the streets (who would do children harm).”
Representatives from Microsoft’s Online Safety Team and Digital Crimes Unit were on-site at the NAAG event, invited to participate along with a total of nine other corporations and child-focused non-profits. Our “presenter station” showcased our technology tools and educational resources and we offered five different “learning sessions” designed to educate AGs and their staffs about various aspects of the digital lives of America’s youth, as well as Microsoft’s work in these areas.
Standing up to online bullying, taking charge of online reputations, our industry-leading PhotoDNA technology and our efforts to thwart child trafficking were all subjects of our informal learning sessions. In addition, we distributed educational resources we’ve developed to help inform parents, teachers, school officials and others about how best to protect kids online. We dedicated a learning session to this array of free materials so attendees might help do the same. “Building Global Trust Online,” our Policymakers’ Guide to Security, Privacy, and Online Safety; our “Digital Citizenship in Action” toolkit, a primer on PhotoDNA; and Microsoft’s Human Rights Statement were the most popular titles.
Plenary sessions and “main-tent” panel discussions featured experts from varying fields of child protection, including drug-use prevention, combatting child exploitation and addressing school violence.
Microsoft applauds General Van Hollen for his concern for, and dedication to, all aspects of youth protection, and we welcome the opportunity to help him further advance the important effort of childrens’ online safety.
We’ve made protecting kids online – indeed, all individuals – a priority since we launched our first Web service in the mid-1990s. Our work includes:
· Providing family-friendly technology tools in our products and services
· Partnering with others in industry and the non-profit sector on joint initiatives
· Creating educational resources to raise public awareness and inform global Internet users how to be good “digital citizens” in today’s constantly connected world
To learn more about Microsoft’s work in online safety, and to learn how you can become a better digital citizen, visit our Safety & Security Center; “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Posted by Jacqueline Beauchere Chief Online Safety Officer, Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft
From antimalware solutions and automatic updates, to firewalls and strong passwords, Microsoft and the technology industry routinely stress that consumers should exercise basic “digital hygiene.” To some, these pieces of advice come as second nature. Most U.S. consumers, however, appear to ignore key technology tools that could help them stave off issues.
New Microsoft research shows the majority of U.S. consumers are not leveraging some basic technology tools that could help them better manage their online transactions and protect their personal data. The third annual Microsoft Computing Safety Index (MCSI), a gauge to help assess consumer online habits and behaviors, shows that only 40 percent of U.S. respondents, on average, say they’ve turned on their computer’s firewall and left it on. This is down seven and 10 percentage points, respectively, from the 2012 and 2011 Indices. Data tell a similar story when consumers self-report about installing antimalware software, and turning on and running automatic updates.
The good news, however, is that U.S. consumers are actually better protected than they think they are. When walked through a self-check of certain foundational elements of PC health and maintenance, 78 percent, on average, actually reported having turned on their firewall; 92 percent were running antivirus solutions and 82 percent were using automatic updates, according to the 2013 U.S. MCSI.
These and other elements of the U.S. Index were released last week at an “@Microsoft Conversation” series event in Washington, D.C., entitled, “Online Safety: Past, Present and Future.” I had the pleasure of participating in a panel discussion moderated by Family Online Safety Institute Founder and CEO Stephen Balkam. Other panelists included: Parry Aftab, executive director of Wired Safety; Amanda Lenhart, senior researcher and director of teens and technology at Pew Research Center, and Jack McArtney, director of Corporate and Community Responsibility at Verizon.
The group discussed the evolution of online safety during the past decade-plus, including a shift in the “content” debate to one centered on user-generated content versus the blocking and filtering of adult images from years ago. When it comes to individuals’ behavior in relation to others, online bullying, harassment and other forms of unwanted “contact” garner the bulk of expert and media attention today, compared to concerns about child predators some 10 to 12 years ago, the group agreed.
We also addressed the state of online safety public awareness-raising and education in our schools, in light of a recent study by the University of New Hampshire’s Crimes Against Children Research Center. All agreed awareness-raising and formal, in-classroom education are key, but should be integrated into existing, mandatory curricula – not treated as something separate and extra for educators to learn and then teach, and for students to likely bemoan. After all, technology and constant electronic connections are already seamlessly inter-woven into our children’s lives; young people make no distinction between the online and offline worlds. It’s all simply “life.”
Turning to the future, the group’s outlook was largely positive with only a hint of caution. In addition to increasing productivity, speeding communications and, figuratively speaking, shrinking the globe, technology is altering social norms, which can be unsettling at times. Still, the group agreed a more positive, proactive approach to staying safer and more secure online is a digital imperative for all.
The MCSI for 19 other countries* as well as the 20-country worldwide average will be released on Feb. 11 in conjunction with international Safer Internet Day.
To learn more about Microsoft’s work in online safety, visit our Safety & Security Center; “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
* In addition to the U.S., the MCSI is conducted in the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Parents, educators, policymakers and young people worry that online bullying may increase in their communities. In speaking with these groups, however, concerns seem to stem mostly from fear that something might happen. This is due largely to a lack of awareness about many of the truths surrounding this critical issue. Thankfully, online bullying (also referred to as cyberbullying) is an actual concern for far fewer individuals, families and communities. Still, it is these highly publicized and often tragic cases that help to perpetuate growing fears.
According to a new report from the European Commission (EC), awareness-raising, coupled with involvement from all interested groups, is the “best policy” to help combat online bullying: “The educational effort goes beyond families and educators. The effort needs to involve all relevant actors, providing them with skills and means to act, as well as psychological and expert support when needed.”
Titled “Cyber-Bullying and Social Networks among Teenagers,” the report is the product of an extensive literature review and two-day workshop held last October by the EC’s Institute for the Protection and the Security of the Citizen (IPSC) at its Joint Research Center (JRC) in Ispra, Italy. Along with five professors from European universities and one U.S.-based cyberbullying prevention specialist, I had the pleasure of participating in the dialogue to help provide private-sector perspective.
The goal of the workshop was to “explore the ethical challenges arising from social networks” among the teenage demographic, thereby helping to inform and support EC policies. The workshop and report addressed several pertinent themes, including the various elements of existing definitions; data and research and practical advice and guidance for parents, caregivers, schools and administrators.
Microsoft defines online bullying as “the use of electronic technology to demonstrate behavior—often repeated—that teases, demeans or harasses someone less powerful.” Interested in assessing global pervasiveness, last year we released (and shared at the workshop) results of an online behavior survey of more than 7,500 eight to 17 year-olds in 25 countries. Fifty-four percent said they worried about being bullied online; 37 percent said they had experienced what adults would consider to be online bullying, and 24 percent said they had done something that most would equate with online bullying.
Microsoft has been focused on this issue for the last half-decade. We see our role in online bullying specifically, and in Internet safety generally, as both a creator of digital devices and services, and as an informer and proponent of “digital citizenship”: safer, responsible and appropriate use of technology. Still, as the EC paper points out, online bullying, like its traditional in-person counterpart, is largely a social construct and technology cannot cure social shortcomings.
An important piece of the Internet safety equation, and one that Microsoft continues to advocate for, is parental and/or adult involvement in youth and teens’ use of online technologies. Indeed, we routinely call on all involved to help create a “culture of online safety,” where exercising safer habits and practices is akin to locking doors and wearing seatbelts. This can only be accomplished if all actors know their roles and share in that responsibility.
The authors of the EC cyberbullying paper agree. “(W)hile the school is important, the role of parents in prevention and action needs to be strongly reinforced,” they wrote, emphasizing the need to ratchet up parents’ awareness and monitoring of their children’s use of technology. “This should be complemented with open conversations with the adolescents about their awareness of … (cyberbullying) and strategies to cope with it or, where relevant, about their involvement in electronic aggression. Hence, in order to address the cyber-bullying phenomenon, partnerships are needed, with all actors needing to identify and play their relevant roles.”
To assist adults in recognizing and addressing the issue, Microsoft has created several resources, including an online bullying quiz. This interactive tool walks individuals through a number of scenarios designed to enable them to talk about, identify and respond to the range of negative online behaviors from meanness to bullying and beyond.
In addition, we encourage all adults to:
· Pay attention. Regularly sit with young kids as they play online. From time to time, ask “tweens” and teens to take you on a “tour” of what they’re doing online. Model positive social behavior and watch for signs of online cruelty.
· Encourage empathy. A powerful way to help combat online bullying is to encourage kids to put themselves in others’ shoes:
· Bystanders. To help kids support each other, we’ve identified ways they can become “Upstanders,” like being kind, setting a good example, blocking bullies, asking them to stop and telling others. And adults, don’t forget your role as back-up support.
· Targets. If a child is the target of online bullying, don’t wait to see if the abuse will stop. Get the full story, acknowledge the pain and ask what you can do to help. Then, make the child’s answers the basis of the plan to help address the problem.
· Bullying. If you discover someone is a bully, acknowledge the problem (making it clear that it’s not OK to bully), and try to understand what happened. If necessary, get professional help.
· Promote kindness in kid’s learning and social circles, and again, model that positive behavior with your own friends and family.
Learn more about preventing online bullying and fostering digital citizenship by consulting these resources: brochure, fact sheet, online bullying graphical whitepaper, digital citizenship graphical whitepaper, toolkit. Also, regularly check in to our Safety & Security Center, where all of our tools and resources are posted. “Like” us page on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.
The one thing on which men and women always seem to agree is that they can rarely agree on anything. Asking directions may be the perfect example. Yet in today’s data-driven world, there is perhaps one social attitude that men and women have in common: Mobile phone habits can be very annoying, and people should exercise better etiquette.
Results released today from Microsoft’s Safer Online poll identified five mobile pet peeves that both men and women find most annoying:
1. Constant phone-checking (44 percent)
2. Loud talkers (41 percent)
3. Using or not silencing phones when socially appropriate (40 percent)
4. Using one’s phone during face-to-face conversation (39 percent), and
5. Delaying traffic due to mobile-phone use (35 percent)
While mobile-phone pet peeves appear to be shared universally, more important is how to help people protect their devices and information from scammers, so-called “rogue” software and the oversharing of digital details. Our poll found some common ground, with 39 percent of respondents believing men and women are equal in protecting their personal data on their smart phones. But interestingly, research from Microsoft’s Computing Safety Index (MCSI) released earlier this year shows that adult men and women practice mobile safety quite differently.
For instance, according to the Index:
Men do a slightly better job using technical features:
Women, on the other hand, tend to be savvier when protecting their online reputations:
And, the Index showed that men more frequently receive mobile scams, such as rogue anti-virus alerts or “phishing” emails:
While we all should strive to be more considerate when using our mobile phones, protecting one’s self on-the-go is even more important. Microsoft offers the following tips to help you stay safe when using your mobile device and to assist you in minding your mobile manners:
· Silence your mobile phone. Know when to put the phone away and “be present.”
· Help protect your privacy online. Don’t overshare. Think before posting where you are and save vacation highlights and photos for your return.
· Use location-based services safely. Think carefully about turning on geo-tagging. Share your location only with people whom you trust. Pay attention to where and when you check in, and get permission before you check in others.
· Conduct financial transactions on a secure network. Don’t use “borrowed” or public Wi-Fi hotspots. Save those sensitive transactions for the safer home computer.
· Lock your mobile phone. Keep your information secret with a unique, four-digit PIN and don’t share it with others.
You can take the Microsoft Safer Online Facebook poll and find more information about general mobile phone safety at: www.microsoft.com/security. To stay current on today’s online safety issues, “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Posted by Jacqueline BeauchereDirector, Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft
Typically, when leave our homes, we lock our doors. We take this simple and, perhaps, habitual step to help protect our families and our belongings. Yet, when we go online, we don’t always take the same precautions with our personal information.
Today, on Safer Internet Day (SID), we want to remind consumers the world over to promote responsible use of the Internet and mobile technology. Organized by Brussels-based Insafe and co-founded by the European Union, this year marks the tenth celebration of SID and, once again, Microsoft is playing an active role.
We’ve released results of our second annual Microsoft Computing Safety Index (MCSI), a survey of consumer online safety behaviors in 20 countries. This year, we added a mobile component to the study, enabling comparisons between people’s PC and mobile practices.
The MCSI average across all countries found that more than half (55 percent) of respondents are experiencing multiple online risks, yet only 16 percent say they are taking multiple steps to proactively protect themselves and their data. As for mobile, just more than one-quarter (28 percent) said they run regular updates on their mobile devices, compared to 42 percent who said they regularly update their PC software. Inattention to basic device health and maintenance has the ability to further compound an individual’s online risk.
All of Microsoft’s advice and guidance about staying safer online starts with four basic steps:
• Turning the firewall “on” and leaving it “on;” (know that there is no legitimate reason to ever turn the firewall “off”)• Installing and keeping current antivirus software• Installing and maintaining antispyware software• Turning “on” and always using automatic updates
These are, in effect, the “Foundational” components of the MCSI. They are essential not only to individual online security, but they also play an important role in the health of the overall technology ecosystem. To borrow a concept from one of our partner organizations, National Cyber Security Alliance and its signature awareness campaign STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™ (STC), if individuals do their part to help safeguard their own devices, they will not only better protect themselves and their families, but they will be assisting in the protection of the wider digital world. Thus, “Safer for me; more secure for all.”
Under the banner of this year’s SID theme, “Connect with Respect,” Microsoft is asking everyone to take stock of their online habits to ensure they are as protected as possible when going online. Consumers can see where they rank in an abbreviated version of the Microsoft Computing Safety Index Survey and parents can encourage teens to take our “Safer Online Teen Challenge.”
The New Year and Safer Internet Day are the perfect time of year to get smarter about online safety. So, join the movement. (See http://www.microsoft.com/security for all of our advice and guidance, and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/Safer_Online and Facebook www.facebook.com/SaferOnline.)
It’s no surprise that kids today are growing up online. They use mobile devices to do their homework, play games, connect with friends, and access the wealth of information available on the Web. Technology gives children access to a host of positive, educational and growth experiences; yet, parents face challenges when they look to monitor what children see online, the people they meet and the information they share.
At Microsoft, we want to help parents create a healthy computing environment for their kids. That’s why we set out to hear from parents about what matters most to them in helping young people stay safer online.
Before setting out to develop Windows 8 Family Safety Settings, Microsoft sought input from parents in five countries: Brazil, China, France, India and the U.S. We spoke to more than 1,000 parents of children ages five to 15 about what matters most in helping keep their kids safer online. Protecting children from online predators and offensive content tops the list of parental concerns at 87 percent, according to the study. Parents, however, were basically split when it came to choosing between the importance of monitoring their child’s online activity (43 percent) and limiting access all together (45 percent).
In general, findings revealed that:
A safer Internet is just a click away
With Windows 8, parents and caregivers can monitor what kids are doing online, no matter where they use their PC. Simply create a Windows user account for each child; check the box to turn on Family Safety, and then review weekly reports that detail children’s use. No additional downloads, installation wizards or configuration steps are required – just check the box.
The “monitor-first” approachIn the past, many family safety software solutions (including Microsoft’s) focused on Web filtering and other software-based restrictions, resulting in a complex setup experience and a constant stream of difficult-to-manage parental approval requests. Ultimately, many parents jettisoned family safety products and returned to in-person supervision only—a tactic that has proven less effective as computers have become more mobile.
Windows 8 gives parents an alternative “monitor-first” approach, providing them with unique, informative activity reports for each child.
Standard accounts for the kids
Microsoft has long recommended that parents remain the computer administrator and create separate standard accounts for each child in the household. In Windows 8, accounts that the administrator creates are automatically deemed standard accounts. This approach has several benefits. Children:
For parents who want more control
Activity reporting, which is always “on” in the new Windows 8 Family Safety experience, is the perfect solution for many parents. If parents prefer tighter control, however, more powerful and customizable restrictions are available directly from links in the activity reporting e-mail, or on familysafety.microsoft.com.
At Microsoft, we are continually striving to help families create safer, more trusted computing experiences. That said, we know this means different things to different people. Some parents prefer to keep a keen physical eye on their children; others prefer to set up software restrictions to help monitor computing activities. We think the simplicity and power of the “monitor-first” approach in Microsoft Family Safety addresses both styles effectively. Moreover, it can help foster critical conversations among family members about staying safer online, while at the same time empowering kids and preserving parents’ peace of mind.
Microsoft can help you make Internet safety a family affair. Teach yourself and your family by using our interactive Digital Citizenship in Action Toolkit; regularly visit http://www.microsoft.com/security for other advice and guidance, and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/Safer_Online and Facebook www.facebook.com/SaferOnline.
Posted by Jacqueline BeauchereDirector, Trustworthy Computing Communications, Microsoft
The United States and the European Union recently signed a Joint Declaration committing to make the Internet a safer place for children. Signed in London last month, the accord pledges the two governments will “work collectively and in partnership to reduce the risks and maximize the (Internet’s) benefits” for young people.
Originally set to be inked at a day-long summit in Washington, D.C. that was cancelled due to Super Storm Sandy having battered the Eastern United States, the Declaration notes the U.S. and EU’s “shared vision” of the opportunities presented and the steps to be taken to best protect children online. European Commission Vice President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes and Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano signed the agreement, specifically committing to: conduct joint awareness-raising and educational efforts; grow parental and caregiver trust in online services and the content that children access, and continue the broad global effort to fight online child sexual abuse.
In addition, the two acknowledged the importance of public-private partnerships; working collaboratively among the technology industry, law enforcement, parents, educators, and others; and participating in campaigns such as National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in the U.S. and its flagship STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™ campaign, as well as the recently piloted Cyber Security Month in the EU, and its near-decade-long Safer Internet Day (SID) commemoration.
“Through such work,” the Joint Declaration reads, “we hope to reduce risk for our societies and improve our ability to mitigate harm and prosecute perpetrators of heinous crimes such as child exploitation.” (Since the signing of the Joint Declaration, the 27 EU Member States, the United States and others launched the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online.)
In her blog post following the Joint Declaration announcement, Vice President Kroes wrote that the time is ripe for people to see technology companies as part of a solution to child online safety versus being “part of the problem.”
“There’s a huge benefit to Internet companies in doing that – not just for their reputations, but to unlock a huge, beneficial market in quality content, for education or fun,” Kroes stated.
Microsoft has been working to help protect children and families online since the Internet first came into being. From our industry-leading Family Safety Settings in Windows 8 and PhotoDNA to the vast array of informational and educational tools and materials that we provide, the company’s commitment to protecting children online shines through in all that we do. These efforts include our own annual participation in NCSAM and SID. That said, no one company or entity can take on such a monumental task alone. Indeed, we, as a single technology company, can look to do more, and we can increase our efforts with others in industry, government, law enforcement, as well as our non-profit partners.
We look forward to being a part of the results the Joint Declaration will produce, and we applaud the overall U.S. and EU efforts in striving to create a safer, more trusted Internet for all. For more on Microsoft’s work in online safety, please visit our Safety & Security Center, and consider following us on Facebook and Twitter. Click here for a video message from General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Legal & Corporate Affairs Brad Smith.
It’s no secret more and more consumers are turning to the Internet to find those perfect holiday gifts. For most, the hustle and bustle of this time of year only makes online shopping even more attractive. According to a recent comScore report, Cyber Monday 2012 marked the heaviest online spending day in history, with Internet sales totaling $1.465 billion, up 17 percent from 2011. In addition, it was the second day this season (the first being Black Friday) where sales surpassed $1 billion.
Perhaps some of the gifts being purchased include the latest Internet-enabled gadgets like the new Microsoft Surface, a Windows Phone 8 device or a Kinect for Xbox 360? No matter what you may be buying for family and friends this season, it's important to remember to exercise the safest habits and practices when shopping online – in December and throughout the year. For instance, always do business online with reputable stores and sellers, and give only to legitimate charities. While most popular online merchants offer safer and more secure ways to make online purchases, it’s best to think like a “Grinch” and beware of offers that seem too good to be true. Evaluate businesses by consulting sites such as www.Epinions.com and www.BizRate.com, and check the genuineness of charities at www.charitynavigator.org. Review buyer feedback about auction sellers, which can be a key indicator of reliability.
To further avoid getting “Grinch-ed,” consider these important tips:
Microsoft’s commitment to helping keep people safer and more secure online is in force year round. We refer to this work as fostering digital citizenship – encouraging and motivating all individuals to be responsible, informed, and appropriate users of technology. We offer a host of resources at our newly designed Safety & Security Center. And, unlike much you’re likely to encounter this holiday season, they’re all free. So, help yourself to a sizable portion of online safety advice and guidance, and consider following us on Facebook and Twitter.
In a bid to uncover what teens know or have been learning about staying safer online, Microsoft recently launched its first-ever Safer Online Teen Challenge. We’re eager to see how teens interpret the wealth of advice and guidance being developed by Microsoft and others in the technology industry, as well as governments, non-profits and youth advocacy organizations.
Teens between the ages of 13 and 18* are encouraged to create and submit original works that champion one of many key messages about being smarter and more secure on the Internet. Creations must be submitted by April 12, 2013, and Microsoft’s hundreds of thousands of Facebook fans will vote to select winners in five inspired categories: song, story/cartoon, skit/presentation, survey and video. All submissions require English translations, but works are welcome in any language and from essentially every corner of the world.
We plan to feature the winning entries on Microsoft‘s Web properties – visited by millions – and fun and educational prizes will be awarded to the most popular and compelling submissions. The contest starts right in time for the December holidays, so teens can imagine and create their visions over their school break.
Microsoft has been helping to keep children, teens and adults safer and more secure on the Internet for decades. We refer to this work as fostering digital citizenship – encouraging and motivating all individuals to be responsible, informed and appropriate users of technology. We offer a host of resources at our newly designed Safety & Security Center and on our Facebook page. (Click “Resources” to view all materials.)
We’re hoping the Challenge will produce new and inventive ways to better educate parents and caregivers about keeping kids safer online. Sometimes, the most compelling guidance about reaching youth comes from the minds and mouth of the young people themselves. Topics such as identity theft and avoiding phishing scams, preventing online bullying and safeguarding digital reputations are all fair game for Challenge entries.
So, whether you’re a concerned parent, teacher, coach, counselor, an astute policymaker or a savvy software developer, we’re hoping you know a teen or two who may be interested in taking up our Challenge. For a complete list of rules, eligibility, and entry requirements, go to http://aka.ms/SOTeenOfficialRules. For additional inspiration about Challenge topics and advice, consult our Digital Citizenship in Action Toolkit. “Like” our page on Facebook, and consider following us on Twitter. Now, get working on those entries!
*(Except where noted.)
Lottery scams, advance-fee fraud, phishing attacks and fake anti-virus alerts. These are just a few ways criminals are attempting to gain access to your personal information to steal money, and impersonate you or hijack your good name. On average, adults in the U.S. have been exposed to eight different types of online scams, according to a new Microsoft survey. Learn to better protect yourself and fight back during National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM).
According to Microsoft’s Scam Defense Survey, conducted and released to coincide with NCSAM 2012, the top five most common scams encountered by adults in the U.S. are:
· Lottery or “Congratulations, you’ve won!” scams, promising free items or coupons (44 percent)
· Fake antivirus alerts that imitate real programs (40 percent)
· Phishing scams that use fake e-mails to trick people into clicking embedded links (39 percent)
· Advance-fee fraud, noting that a “foreign prince,” for example, wants to send you money – you
just need to pay the taxes and fees up front (39 percent), and
· So-called work-from-home schemes to help you “start your own business” (38 percent).
Confidence schemes and other such attempts to separate people from their hard-earned money have existed since time immemorial, and the advent of the Internet has only perpetuated such risks. Cunning fraudsters are becoming ever more effective at tricking even the savviest of consumers. Indeed, 62 percent of respondents to our survey said they doubt they will ever fall victim to an online ruse, yet only 12 percent said they feel fully protected. Learning to beef up personal and technological defenses with a few anti-fraud practices may save you a lot of time and effort later. For instance:
· Treat suspicious messages with caution – Don’t respond, and don’t put sensitive information in an e-mail, instant or text message, or pop-up window.
· Think before you click links or call a number in a message, even if you think you know the sender. Also, first confirm the message is genuine.
· Look for signs that a Web page is secure and legitimate – Check for encryption, such as a web address with https (“s” stands for secure) and a closed padlock.
· Cut down on spam by sharing your primary e-mail only with people and organizations you know; not listing your e-mail address publicly, and only “friending” people you’ve met in person. Also, set your spam e-mail filter to Standard or High.
· Protect your computer and accounts – This includes keeping all software (including your Web browser and spam filters) current with automatic updating; installing legitimate antivirus and antispyware software; always keeping your firewall on, and not using the same password everywhere.
At Microsoft, we call this fostering digital citizenship, and we encourage individuals and organizations globally to do their part. We create and offer a large collection of materials on our safety and security website, and we regularly post new guidance and tips to our social media properties: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Get proactive this October, and learn to protect yourself and your family from fraud, scams and other online risks.
Unlike their parents who went back to school with new notebooks, pens, pencils, and binders, today’s young people are likely readying for the coming academic year with laptops, tablets and mobile phones. But, before parents arm kids with the latest Internet-enabled devices, it’s a good idea to share some do’s and don’ts about online safety.
Whether it’s a new laptop for research and writing, a tablet for reading, or a mobile phone to get in touch with mom or dad in the event of an emergency, kids are using mobile technology more than ever. Data show that 52 percent of kids ages eight to 12, and 77 percent between 12 and 17, own mobile phones, with teenagers 14 to 17 sending an average of 100 text messages a day.
When it comes to Internet safety, some practical advice can go a long way toward helping kids stay safer and more secure when they’re online on the go. The first step is to set clear use limits for kids on their mobile phones. According to one survey, 90 percent of eight to 17 year-olds say it’s OK for parents to set rules about mobile phone use. Based on the age and maturity level of each child, parents and kids should together agree on: (1) the specific features that will be enabled on the child’s phone; (2) clear rules for responsible and appropriate use of the device, and (3) the consequences for any violation of those rules. Parents should make it clear that bullying, sexting and, for older kids, using the phone while driving, are never acceptable.
In addition, kids need to know to share their phone numbers (and other personal identifiable information) with family and close friends only. Further, they should:
· Lock their phones with a PIN, or personal identification number, and keep it secret – even from “best” friends, who, among the younger generations, can change quite often.
· Avoid clicking links in advertisements, contests, text messages and the like. Doing so can invite malware that could damage the phone, lead to the sale of their information or even identity theft.
· And, if parents use a family location service to monitor their children’s whereabouts, make sure those outside the immediate family can’t locate them. Otherwise, consider disabling the location feature on the child’s phone or, at the very least, turn off the feature in the phone’s camera.
For other tips and guidance on becoming a good “digital citizen” at home, on the go and at school, consult Microsoft’s Digital Citizenship in Action Toolkit, and regularly visit our Safety & Security Center. “Like” our page on Facebook and, if you’re an educator, be on the lookout for the launch of our upcoming Internet safety challenge. We’re committed to ushering in the new school year by helping students, teachers, parents and caregivers create a safer and more trusted online experience for themselves and each other.
We’ve all heard the horrific tales: teasing, meanness or bullying that starts on the playground or at school follows kids home only to continue on mobile and gaming devices and on social networks. Severe cases, though few in number, drive some to extremes, and it’s these instances that make headlines. No wonder kids around the world are worried they’ll be bullied online.
To better understand the issue globally, Microsoft commissioned and today releases survey results of a range of online behaviors among youth – from “meanness” (least severe) to online bullying or cruelty (most severe), and everything in between. Data show 54 percent of children age eight to 17 in 25 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Spain, Singapore, Turkey, UAE, the United Kingdom and the U.S.) express concern that they will be bullied online; four in 10 say someone was mean to them online, and nearly one-quarter (24 percent) admit to having bullied someone else online at one time or another.
What may be termed bullying can vary between cultures and even among individuals. Additionally, online or “cyber” bullying is not a term recognized or acknowledged worldwide. As a result, our study posed questions about online bullying in terms of children’s online experiences (i.e., being called mean names, being teased, etc.), and from their direct perspective.
Because they’re worried about being bullied online, kids want parents and trusted adults involved. Less than a third (29 percent) said parents have talked to them about poor online behavior, and they failed to pinpoint one common step parents took to help address the problem. In fact, only 5 percent said parents engage with schools when online bullying happens.
Kids need to know that adults can and will help. And, parents and educators need to understand that what they may see as bullying, kids may just refer to as “drama.” But, they should still make themselves available and offer support. To assist adults in recognizing and addressing the issue, Microsoft has created some new resources: an interactive online bullying quiz , our Digital Citizenship in Action Toolkit, as well as updates to our website: www.microsoft.com/security.
Whatever the issue facing youth online, Microsoft’s primary piece of guidance stands: parents, trusted adults, teachers, coaches and counselors need to keep the lines of communication open.
Each February, the world recognizes Safer Internet Day (SID), an event dedicated to promoting responsible use of the Internet and mobile technology, particularly among youth. Organized by Brussels-based Insafe and co-founded by the European Union, Feb. 7 marks the ninth installment of SID. This year’s theme, "Connecting Generations and Educating Each Other,” once again finds Microsoft playing an active role.
The company was part of the first SID, and has been a long-standing advocate ever since, particularly in Europe. Last year, the Trustworthy Computing (TwC) Group expanded Microsoft's involvement in North America by hosting three online gaming-related events in as many U.S. cities, keeping with SID's 2011 theme. This year, we're building on that success, and partnering with AARP.
Microsoft and AARP today released results of their first-ever "Connecting Generations" research study focused on technology and Internet use among teens (13-17), young adults (18-25), parents (39-58) and older adults (59-75). Eighty-three percent of each age group, according to the survey, considers going online to be a "helpful" form of family communication. For some, that translates to a deeper understanding of one another. About three in 10 grandparents, as well as teens and young adults, say connecting through technology has helped them forge closer ties. And, one in four parents say online communications have assisted children in better relating to them.
Unfortunately, the generations are not discussing how to stay safer and more secure online. While most respondents wish they knew more about how to keep personal information private (58 percent) and how best to safeguard their device (50 percent), it's the younger generation (38 percent) that wants more guidance about using social networks more safely compared to older respondents (27 percent). There's also a discrepancy between how teens deal with online content that makes them uncomfortable, and how parents think teens are confronting such information. Nearly half of parents say teens know to approach them if something online makes them feel uneasy. Meanwhile, less than a third (29 percent) of teens say they would even know to go to their parents.
So, what can we glean from this work? It's further evidence that online safety is truly ageless – and it's everyone's responsibility. Teens need to share technical knowledge; parents and grandparents need to impart wisdom in helping to recognize and deal with risks, and we all need to use technology appropriately and responsibly. That’s what we refer to as being good “digital citizens.”
Microsoft can help you make Internet safety a family affair. Teach yourself and your family using our interactive Digital Citizenship in Action Toolkit; visit http://www.microsoft.com/security for other advice and guidance, and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/Safer_Online and Facebook www.facebook.com/SaferOnline.
Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing (TwC) Group is today announcing a new tool to help gauge how consumers are meeting the challenges of today’s digital world. Microsoft’s Computing Safety Index (MCSI) is the product of research recently conducted in five countries: Brazil, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the U.S. It examines people’s behaviors relating to online safety, resulting in an overall score.
Broken out into three tiers of scoring levels, the 2011 average score for this benchmark study across all five geographies was 34 out of a possible 100. This year’s U.S. Index was 37, which lands in the mid-scoring range of 20-79 scores, suggesting that people have the online-safety basics covered, but opportunities exist to learn and do more, particularly against new and emerging risks in the social realm. (Specific results for the other four countries will be released to coincide with international Safer Internet Day 2012 in early February.)
The MCSI seeks to understand consumer adoption of proven online tools and behaviors. It is a weighted score comprised of three tiers of activity – “Foundational,” “Technical+,” and “Behavioral” – each consisting of different steps consumers can take to help protect themselves and their families when they go online. The more steps taken in any given tier, the higher the user’s score.
Didn’t participate in the formal survey? We’ve created an abbreviated version so others can see how they measure up. Go to www.microsoft.com/security/mcsi; take stock of your personal online habits and practices, and see how you compare to the five-country average and the U.S. score.
Finally, in our ongoing effort to raise public awareness of online safety and to encourage everyone to become better “digital citizens,” we are releasing a new collection of tools and resources. Our “Digital Citizenship in Action: A Guide to Education and Events” toolkit is available free of charge, and includes a host of resources to help individuals, families, and organizations stay safer and more secure online.
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in the U.S. – the perfect time to pledge to get smarter on these issues. Then, take that extra step and teach a friend, young person, club, or group what you’ve learned. Microsoft plans to release the multi-country and U.S. indices annually to coincide with NCSAM.
Click these links to learn more:
· Microsoft’s Computing Safety Index: Five Countries
· Microsoft’s Computing Safety Index: U.S.
· Microsoft's Safety & Security Center, a wealth of information about security and online safety issues
· STOP. THINK. CONNECT., a simple, action-oriented reminder for all of us to stay safer and more secure online
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
We've all encountered them: people who after five minutes of meeting feel compelled to tell you the vivid details of their relationship woes, family traumas or financial hardships. In one-to-one or small-group settings, such conversations make us uneasy at best. More likely, they leave us itching to slink away and find less of a "drama queen" to chat with.
But, when this kind of oversharing takes place online, the consequences can be far more serious. One solution: shout “Digital T.M.I."—Too Much Information. You’ll probably save other recipients discomfort, and you may even help to stave off graver repercussions for the sender.
A Microsoft study on social networking showed 69 percent of American parents are “very” or “somewhat” concerned their child has a social networking account—a prime Internet venue where oversharing takes place. Other worldwide research bears similar results. At last month's Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Nairobi, Kenya, Global Systems for Mobile Communications’ Association (GSMA), a coalition of mobile operators and related companies, released a preview of its third annual study on the use of mobile phones by children in eight countries: China, Cyprus, Egypt, India, Japan, Paraguay, South Korea and Mexico.
The survey showed mobile phone ownership levels as high as 94 percent among youth in some countries, and higher than 50 percent in all geographies polled. And, parents' primary concerns? Overuse by children and privacy issues, according to GSMA. The survey’s full results will be released next month.
The knock-on effects of such oversharing have been confirmed. Kids—and adults—may think they're simply "getting their feelings out" when they post highly sensitive or personal information. Or, they say they're just "joking" when they upload questionable content to their social networking sites. In reality, they could be jeopardizing their reputation, future and perhaps even their safety and well-being.
A Microsoft study released to coincide with international Data Privacy Day in January 2010 showed that 70 percent of hiring managers in the U.S. rejected candidates because of information discovered about the applicants online. Those totals were smaller in the United Kingdom (41 percent), Germany (16 percent) and France (14 percent). Similar anecdotes circulate about young people applying to university or trying to land that coveted first job. And, although much rarer, child predators have been known to lure troubled youth who openly share feelings of loneliness, sadness or misfortune – a process known as online "grooming."
October’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) is a great time to adopt safer online habits and practices, particularly those that can help protect our reputations and livelihoods. Three easy steps—STOP. THINK. CONNECT.—can help us enjoy the Web in a safer, more responsible way.
In-person "T.M.I.s" are likely to continue, but with STOP.THINK.CONNECT., we can do our part to reduce digital T.M.I.s. For more information on protecting your online reputation, or to learn about other online safety topics, visit www.microsoft.com/security, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in the U.S. and around the world. This year's official launch is taking place in Ypsilanti, Michigan to coincide with the Michigan Cyber Summit 2011.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano, White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, other state officials, and I shared the stage just a few hours ago kicking off NCSAM 2011. I represented Microsoft, as well as the Board of Directors of the National Cyber Security Alliance, who are long-time sponsors of NCSAM and an important public-private partnership of which Microsoft is a founding member.
This year's NCSAM theme, “Our Shared Responsibility,” refers to the ongoing work each of us can do to help secure our own piece of cyberspace—because when it comes to making the Internet safer, no individual, corporation or government entity is solely responsible. Moreover, individual acts and omissions can have a combined impact. When we exercise safer habits and practices, we help make the Web more secure for all. If each of us does our part, whether it be implementing stronger security, raising awareness of risks, or educating youth—together we can create a more resilient digital world.
It all starts with STOP. THINK. CONNECT. (STC), a simple, action-oriented reminder for all of us to stay safer and more secure online. In fact, it was just one year ago that, the White House, DHS and a public-private coalition launched STC in Seattle as part of NCSAM 2010. In short, STC means:
• STOP: Before going online, learn about the risks and how to avoid potential problems.
• THINK: Take a moment to check that the path ahead is clear. Watch for warning signs and consider how your actions (or inactions) might impact your safety or security or that of your family.
• CONNECT: Enjoy the Internet with increased confidence, knowing that you’ve taken some key steps to help safeguard yourself, your family, information and devices.
At Microsoft, we refer to these efforts as fostering “digital citizenship,” and we promote and share this work globally. Specifically, we create and offer, free of charge, a host of resources on our consumer safety website. These include a series of STC videos, one of which was honored by the White House and DHS earlier this year. We also help spread the STC message via our social media properties on Facebook and YouTube.
In the weeks to come, we will participate in other NCSAM events across the U.S., and hold our own forum in Washington, D.C., on October 27th. There, Trustworthy Computing will release new online safety research, as well as a toolkit of helpful resources for youth, parents, governments and educators.
Join us in our digital citizenship efforts to help create a culture of online safety where everyone embraces this shared responsibility.
Just more than half of U.S. parents say they’ve used family safety software to limit or monitor their child’s Internet use, according to a new study. Parents not using such features, meanwhile, say they have their own household rules in place, or they trust their children to act appropriately when going online.
The Family Online Safety Institute, a global, non-profit organization focused on making the Internet a safer place for children and families, released its first-ever report entitled “Parents’ Views of Online Safety.” The U.S.-wide study, sponsored by Microsoft and other FOSI partners Google, Verizon and AT&T, was released Wednesday during a special presentation in Washington, D.C. focused on online parental controls.
Not surprisingly, the new survey found that parents express concern about their children’s various online activities, in particular:
Overall, 86 percent of parents said they feel their kids are “very safe” (42 percent) or “somewhat safe” (44 percent) when online; 13 percent characterized the experience as “very” or “somewhat” unsafe.
When it comes to protecting kids online, parents said they feel most knowledgeable when their child is using a computer, and least informed when the online gadget of choice is a smartphone or other handheld device. Indeed, study findings indicate that 48 percent of parents say their children use two or more technologies to get online; nearly a quarter (24 percent) say their children use three or more devices. These may include a personal computer, laptop, netbook, tablet, game console or smartphone.
In Microsoft’s ongoing effort to create a “culture of safety” and promote good, global “digital citizenship,” we seek to raise awareness among and inform youth, parents, teachers, government officials and law enforcement personnel about how best to stay safe online. We make a vast number of resources available at our Safety & Security Center, including brochures, factsheets, tip cards, videos and articles. We partner with groups like FOSI, iKeepSafe, the National Cyber Security Alliance and others to get the word out about online safety, and we develop and deploy features and functionality in our own products and services to help people navigate the Web safely.
Indeed, family safety settings can be found in many Microsoft products, including Windows Live, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Xbox 360 and Xbox Live and Zune. These features help parents and caregivers manage the websites children visit, allow media usage based on age and rating, monitor the time kids spend online and who they can talk to, as well as be on guard for behavior like cyberbullying. Compare the free features at: aka.ms/compare-tools.
The FOSI study offers proof that safety features can be effective. Eighty-two percent of parents think current technology makes it “easy” to monitor the websites their children visit and the people they interact with online. Sixty-three percent experience that same ease of use with similar functionality in smartphones and handheld devices. The result: “rules” and “tools” are combining to help parents and children more safely explore our ever-expanding digital world.
Posted by Jacqueline BeauchereDirector of Trustworthy Computing Communications, Microsoft
On Monday, Microsoft received an award from the White House and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the company’s work in helping to keep individuals and families safer when they go online.
In a ceremony at the Eisenhower Executive Office building of the White House and presided over by White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, I was presented with an award for a video my team produced entitled, “Stop. Think. Connect.” That three-word phrase is the product of the Stop. Think. Connect. (STC) Messaging Convention, a coalition of more than 30 companies, non-profits and U.S. government agencies and departments, focused on raising awareness and educating the public about Internet safety. In addition to Microsoft, the STC Convention includes AT&T, Costco, Facebook, Google, McAfee, Symantec, VeriSign, Verizon, Wal-Mart, Yahoo! and others.
Our STC video, one in a five-part series of 30-second public service announcements, is a fun and quirky way of bringing Stop. Think. Connect. to life for Internet users. The “talking fingers” call out those imperative actions that individuals and families should take to help ensure they get the most from their online experiences. The other four videos offer STC advice and guidance for staying safer online while at home, at work, on the go, and during online game play.
The STC Convention aims to produce a collection of informational and educational materials, and – like the Stop. Think. Connect. message itself – drive people to action around online safety. In other words, STOP: pause to consider what you plan to do online when you log in; THINK: make sure, for instance, that you provide the right amount of personal information to complete a desired transaction, and consider how that information might be misused; and then, CONNECT: with someone or some entity in the online world – and enjoy that experience in the safest, most trusted way possible.
The Convention also adopted a secondary, supporting message, “Safer for me, more secure for all,” in an effort to demonstrate to individuals and families the broader follow-on benefits of exercising safer online habits and practices. To learn more, visit: www.microsoft.com/security and www.stopthinkconnect.org.
A new study released by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and sponsored by Microsoft, shows that U.S. schools are ill-equipped to teach children the fundamentals of 21st Century “Digital Citizenship.” The 2011 version of the State of Cyberethics, Cybersafety and Cybersecurity Curriculum in the U.S. found that more than one-third (36 percent) of teachers received no relevant professional development training in the last year from their school districts. Meanwhile, 86 percent received fewer than six hours of training in online safety, computer security and cyber ethics. Not surprisingly, teachers do not feel adequately prepared to instruct on these topics. Less than one-quarter of respondents (24 percent) said they feel "very well-prepared" to teach about protecting personal information online. Even fewer (23 percent) said they were well-versed in preventing cyberbullying, and just one-third responded that they were well-equipped to teach basic computer security skills, such as password protection and backing-up data. The survey, published annually by NCSA since 2008, polled 1,012 teachers, 200 IT coordinators and 402 school administrators (325 principals and 77 superintendents) in January and February. As a society, we need to thoroughly prepare young people to understand and manage the challenges of life in the Digital Age. We need to ensure they enter higher education and the work force being “cyber-aware and cyber-capable.” Microsoft supports online safety education in K-12 schools, while also appreciating the vast array of material that teachers must impart on a host of subjects on a daily basis. Given this need for balance, making online safety, security and ethics lessons part of existing curricula, and finding opportunities for integration may be a useful approach. Yet, more and more often, we hear anecdotal accounts of children "going online" before they start school, at three and even 2-1/2 years of age.
Accordingly, Microsoft also urges parents to get involved early, and to sit side by side with our youngest Web surfers as they explore the wonders of the Internet. Indeed, the NCSA/Microsoft study shows that nearly 80 percent of teachers and 60 percent of administrators identified parents as the group primarily responsible for teaching children to use computers safely and securely. More than half of IT coordinators, meanwhile, said teachers bear that chief responsibility. Informal at-home parental guidance and formal in-school online safety programs are the most effective ways to help protect children and are more suitable than restrictions or regulation. Free resources abound, including many from Microsoft (www.microsoft.com/security), and other organizations we partner with and support. These include NCSA, the Family Online Safety Institute, iKeepSafe, Stop.Think.Connect, and Look Both Ways, to name a few. Staying safer online is a shared responsibility among many, including youth, parents, educators, industry and government, with everyone having a significant role to play.
Posted by Jacqueline BeauchereDirector, Trustworthy Computing Communications – Privacy & Online Safety As a large technology company with a significant online presence, Microsoft believes it’s our responsibility to help make the Internet a safer place for people, including children, to learn, communicate, play and grow. Of the risks facing children online, cyberbullying is a growing concern for both parents and educators. Today, bullies have capitalized on the availability of much more discreet and efficient tools with which to badger their victims, going beyond the intended uses for which they were designed. Sadly, as we’ve seen in recent news reports, there have been a number of examples where youth who were victimized resorted to taking their own lives. As part of Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to help keep people safer online, I will deliver a keynote address at the International Bullying Prevention Association’s Seventh Annual Conference. At the time, I will also release new research highlighting the extent of this problem. Microsoft conducted a survey of parents and educators across the U.S. Two in five parents report that their child has been involved in a cyberbullying incident. Parents and educators rank cyberbullying midrange among school problems, but ahead of issues like drugs, smoking and violence. Seventy-six percent of educators believe cyberbullying is a bigger concern than smoking or drugs. Clearly, parents have a significant role to play in helping to address this issue — according to our research, 53 percent of parents and 40 percent of educators identify parents as the party primarily responsible for helping to keep kids safe from cyberbullying. Parents should be prepared to oversee their child’s online usage and communicate clear rules and consequences for bullying behavior. Ninety-eight percent of parents seeking assistance from parental-control software identify that technology as one of the most effective steps in helping to curb the risk of cyberbullying. Educators must also play an important role. Those who have taken steps to address cyberbullying in their schools believe those steps have been effective. Our research shows that among schools that do have policies in place to address incidents of cyberbullying, 89 percent of parents and 88 percent of educators believe they are effective. Training was seen as the most effective, but is often available only at schools where a formal policy is in place. More needs to be done to get teachers the training they need to help address this important issue. The organization iKeepSafe is preparing the rollout of “Generation Safe,” a new suite of tools for teachers, administrators, and other school staff, law enforcement, parents and students. We think efforts like these are a step in the right direction. The technology industry also has a responsibility to work with parents, educators, governments, law enforcement agencies and children’s advocacy groups to help create a safer computing environment for children. For our part, Microsoft offers considerable resources for families and educators in our Online Safety, Security and Privacy Education Center at www.microsoft.com/protect. We also participate in industry coalitions and support child advocacy organizations like the Family Online Safety Institute and LOOKBOTHWAYS. Cyberbullying is really no different than the other online safety issues we seek to address at Microsoft. No one company, organization or entity can resolve these challenges single-handedly. What’s truly needed is a collaborative effort to pursue a combination of education, enforcement, policies and technology tools. These issues are everyone’s responsibility, and everyone has a role to play to help end cyberbullying.
Posted by Jacqueline BeauchereDirector, Trustworthy Computing Communications – Privacy & Online Safety
National Cyber Security Awareness Month in October is the designated time of year when individuals and organizations are encouraged to take stock of computing security and their online habits and practices, to help provide a safer, more secure and trusted experience – for themselves, their families, companies and businesses, even nation-states.
This year, NCSAM is even more compelling than years past, as it marks the launch of Stop. Think. Connect., a messaging platform that several members of the high-tech industry, businesses, government agencies, and non-profits will use when communicating about computing security, privacy and online safety. These organizations will also be touting the notion: Safer for me, more secure for all, to demonstrate that taking steps to help ensure personal online safety and security can reap rewards across cyberspace.
The messaging work started with a request from the White House; the President called for a national public awareness campaign for computing safety and security, similar to what Smokey Bear did for helping to prevent forest fires. The White House and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) jointly spearheaded the effort on the public side. On the private side, it was the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) that led the Online Consumer Security and Safety Messaging Convention, now known as the “Stop. Think. Connect.” Messaging Convention.
Here’s a current list of members: ADP, AT&T, AVG, Costco, ESET, Facebook, Google, Intel, Intuit, McAfee, PayPal, RSA, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Symantec, Trend Micro, Microsoft, Verizon, VeriSign, Visa, Walmart, Yahoo!, and a number of federal agencies and departments, namely: the Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, and Justice; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Internal Revenue Service.
Agreeing to this framework was no small feat. Take it from me, someone who’s worked on industry-wide messaging attempts in the past. Even with the highest enthusiasm and the best intentions, such initiatives usually start, stop, restart (maybe), falter and fall through for various reasons – chief among them lack of leadership and insufficient funding. But, Stop. Think. Connect., is – and will be – different.
The Convention is a shining example of public/private cooperation. With Stop.Think.Connect. I believe we’ll see member companies and new partners work to get the word out, and encourage individuals, families and organizations to ensure they are following certain steps to help get the most from their online experiences.
So, hats off to DHS, NCSA, APWG, and all the members of the Convention. Now, it’s time to get people to take a moment to pause and think – to ensure they’re getting the most from their online experience.
Click here for a list of the Convention’s recommended online safety tips: Stop.Think.Connect Online Safety Tips.
To learn more about what Microsoft does to help keep you, your family and your business safer and more secure online, please visit www.microsoft.com/protect. You can also follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/Safer_Online) and view some of our videos at www.YouTube.com/MSFTOnlineSafety.